New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-04
TREATMENT OF INDIANS.
,sRIrIsH GOVERNMENT CHECKING CIvlLE
EATON.
GuF STORY or METLAKAaTIA. By sI HEfn nao g.
wElLCOME Illustrated. limo pp. Aes' Lonoon
aud New.York SAWYER Co.

mans boast of superiority to the Indian trlbcf
ought to be supported by some evidences OF moral
sense as we'll rs we'll as by mere material knowl
edge and shrewdness In the arts OF acquisition Tt
the American reader who has in his time been irr-
tated by the monoton0us observation-disclosures OF the
United States record of Indian relations 1t may
possibly be somewhat of relief to know that the
Canadian Government is quite as capable OF per-
fdy and dishonesty toward the original OWL
ers of the country as the Washington Govern
ment has shown itself. TO those who main.
tain o high moral standard the 'aie mus.
needs be painful and even Disgusting. ror -
illustrates not only the brutal shameics'hoS, WV,
which strong Governments in these days aS Al '"o
past trample on the plainest rignts oI ooio"oo'o,
races. but the equally shameless rapacity wp'oh
1sads 80 nrstentious and responsible body as the
Church of England to SOIL itseiI ny repe"''"s WV
sin of David against Naboth.
The story of Metlakahtla has, however. an en-
.ouracno side. for it shows what can be done oy
the unselfish devotion of ono man even In the most
unpromising and difficult circumstances. more
than thirty years ago William Duncan was moved
10 attempt the work of Christianizing the Isim-
shean Indians, pear Fort Simpson, IN British oiu'n
bia The Tsimsheans were at that time fierce and
murderous set of savages, who were oeiieVeo W
practise cannibalism, and whom all the TRADERS
held wariy at arms length and Dealt WIN only
from behind stout stOckades. Duncan was toid
that if he went among these Indians his lie wouia
not be worth a days purchase. he was not
deferred from his purpose. He Went on MS n'sS'on
bnt he took with him a theory which in the end
assured his success. He had long before observed
that when it was sought to evangeize Indians
before civi,zIng them the labor was always VAN.
He saw the futihty of carrying message OF
spiritual significance to those whose ignorance
made their whole lives perpetual struggle against
starvation He believed that the first thing 10 DC
done with these heather was to enaoie them "
subsist more easily, to teach them now 10 procure
some SIMPLE comforts, to raise them In the scale Oh
living. in short. With this belief firm in him
he went to work. 1t was uphill at first. Inc IN
dams were full of uspicon. Their medicine men
we're actively hostile, seeming rivalry. oeVera'
attempts were made TO assasslnate the brave HIS
sionary but he escaped all HARM Meanwhile nc
WAS Quietly instructing the savages in various
practical matters He very soon convinced them
that 1t was to their direct physical advantage to
listen to him. and they required little persuasion
TO follow advice which always resulted for their
benefit. Thus they came unconscously to them
selves almost, to put confidence IN HIM. and when
thew had learned to trust and like him he was able
TO introduce his religious teachings with some
prospect of success. Not that his conquest was
easily or quickly effected. Many OF the lsimsnean
chiefs held out against him stubsorniy one In
particular named Legrc. was for years his bitter
est enemy and tried to Kill him several times But
it was not long before he had party and his con-
verts protected him sturdily.
He went on steadily with his double work OF
civilization and Christianization, and the results
soon proved the superiority of his methods. The
Catholic aud Protestant missionaries and priests
al fn
other northern Indians pursued the old tracks
and with the old barrenness of outcome
OCCASIONALLY they made nominal converts. but the
fai had eouuec ton with the daily life OF
the Indians. They remained nomad, dirty, igno-
rant, squalio, hungry men, hangers-ou upon the
out skirts of white society. Duncans work at
Metlakahtiah on the other hand was constructive.
He built from the ground up. He built solid'y.
In a few years he had firmly established an Indian
settlement which was really and truly civilized.
He had not only schools and churches butmills and
factories. He taught the people to make blankets,
to IN. Ike homespun CLOTH to do carpentry. to build
substantial houses, to cook their food properly, to
put off their filthy personal habits to abandon all
their old superstltions and savageries TO practise
industry and thrift and truth and honesty. He
had an efficient native police BY degrees he so
raised the r,m,helns that Metlakahtlah became
the most orderly and moral place IN the colony.
The Indians had their own fishing feet. They
canned the salmon they caught and Duncan soon
found market for it. They prospered more and
more rapidly. They developed all the virtues of
primitive Christianity. Metlakahtlah was
a model which was visited by every
body interested either in missionary work or
in sociology Nor were there any shams about Dun
can work The test of time fully vindlcated his
methods. The people showed no disposition to re-
lapse INTO savagery. The basis of their civilization
stood firm and they prospered and hourished from
year to year until the space of full generation
had passed. Then the term of their prosperity
seemed 10 have been reached aud they happened up
on evil days.
They were attacked on two sides. Church and
State were banded against them. The Church,
smelling the fatness of the land thought 1t time to
put out its hand and ais new immunity now
that 1t possessed property and could be made to
pay So bishop was appointed to supersede Will
lam Duncan, aud of all Im aginable kinds of bishops
q Ritualist was chosen. more fatuous selection
OIL at have been made. The new mans doc
trines were not only uninteigble to the simple
Tsim ,heans, who had been grounded In Gospel
truth put in the plalnest wav; they were repu-
sve. The man himself also appears TO have had no
tact whatever. He got mt undgoifed wrangles
with hi ,cl9 He even bad per nal alteration
was his own. lie was arrogant, dctatorial and
stupid to the degree of exceeding his in.
BtructiOns and authority in trying to drive
the founder of the settlement oat of 1t.
Of course the Indians who were devoted TO
Duncan, were lrritatei by the new and unfriendly
influence. They could not understand the preten-
sions advanced by the Charch land far better in
structed persons fnd much the sane difficulty, as
appears from the records). but they saw that
Duncan was the object Of attack. they knew that
he hal done nobody any wrong and great good to
them, and they became deeply incensed. Upon the
heels of this trouble the more serious ono for
which the State was responsible. The history Of
this is chiefly remarkable for the development of
an Indian policy literally without precedent in ts
naked dishonesty and impudent greed. Most
lions have wrolged their weaker fellows and
America and England have never hesitated to take
The lands of Indian tribes when they wanted then.
But at least they have recognized the prop 'rty
81 4Lo,u - fAnt af NAL tnD